The Scrapbook
by starxfisch
Summary: Kurt finds a way to pass the time and ease the pain of missing Blaine while he is in New York. One shot fluff.


When Kurt arrived in New York City for the first time, it was one of those moments that he knew would be locked in the confines of his mind forever.

There were a couple others—big moments that he wouldn't forget, that is.

Like the night his mom died, and his dad held him on his lap in his chair in the living room as Kurt cried himself to sleep. He still remembered feeling his father's silent tears falling on his head as he whispered, "We're going to be all right, buddy. We'll be all right."

Or like the day that David Karofsky threatened to kill him. The way he cornered him against his locker and spat the words out at him leaving him shaking with fear, scared of what Karofsky would do when he turned a corner in the hall or saw him outside of school. The fear that he didn't know what was going on in the kid's mind, the fact that he didn't know what he would do to him. His stomach would still go uneasy when he remembered the never-ending fear leading up to and right after that moment in time.

Or like the first time that Blaine told Kurt that he loved him. They were sitting in the Lima Bean, just like they had done a hundred times, as Kurt rattled off the story, making sure to include every detail, of the New Directions' Nationals adventure. They were just there talking, the white noise of others talking and light music drifting in and out when Blaine looked at him and said it.

"I love you."

And that was it. Nothing extravagant or overdone; just the gently articulated words in the middle of an everyday routine. Kurt had just taken a sip of coffee and nearly choked before swallowing. He looked at Blaine, the boy who he had come to know and who changed everything, who turned his life around. He looked back and uttered one of the most honest things he ever said.

"I love you, too."

Blaine had made him happy again. He had saved him in many respects. And Blaine had told Kurt before that he did the same for him. But here they were, miles apart for the first time. And they both knew it was the right choice, the only option. They also knew that they could get through it together.

So after Kurt had moved into his dorm and got all his stuff packed away, after he paid a little visit to Rachel's room to see how she was doing, and after he had called his dad to let him know he was settled in, he finally got to Skype Blaine.

He settled on his bed, placed his laptop on his lap, logged in and waited a few minutes before Blaine's face came across the screen.

"Hi, baby," Kurt said, a big smile stretching across his face, tears filling in his eyes. He could tell Blaine was in his room sitting at his desk. He could see his bed with that same old tan, green, and red plaid comforter he always had, the pictures on the walls and trophies on the shelves.

"Hi," Blaine said back breathlessly. "You're really there, huh?" he asked, his voice cracking a little despite the smile on his face. "Are you all unpacked, did you get there okay and everything?"

"Yeah," Kurt said, sniffling. He let out a small laugh. "I already miss you."

"I know. I miss you too," Blaine said. "But tell me everything, how did the traveling go?"

They stayed talking to one another for four hours before falling asleep in front of their computers, still in their clothes and lights left on.

This routine was common in the first couple weeks, but eventually they had settled into a more reasonable routine where they talked close to every day but still kept their own schedules at the forefront. Kurt adjusted to his new life in New York and Blaine continued doing well in school and prepping his own NYADA audition, as well as an audition for NYU. They knew it would only be a matter of time before holiday breaks, summer, and then the next fall when they would be in New York. Together.

Time passed, and eventually Kurt found a new way to pass the time while getting to relive some of the more, less pronounced memories in his mind: he decided to start making a scrapbook.

He had hundreds of pictures from high school, the majority being taken during his senior year, that he could use. He went to a small store in one of the neighborhoods near the city and picked out a plain black scrapbook, an array of different colored sheets of paper, some tape, glue, and a new pair of scissors.

He got home that night and laid everything out across his bed, flipping through pictures and letting the memories wash over him.

A picture of Burt and him after their first Sectionals performance; he looked so much younger even though it was only just past three years ago.

A picture of him and Mercedes at the final glee club meeting that year.

A picture of the New Directions in the middle of his junior year, the additions of Sam and Lauren Zizes making him laugh a little at the memories.

Everyone at Burt and Carole's wedding, and an official one of just the two of them after "I do's."

He, Blaine, and a couple of the Warblers during a rehearsal after he transferred.

A picture of his and Blaine's duet at Regionals that year.

The New Directions in their Born This Way shirts.

He kept sifting through the piles of pictures, laughing at some and heart clenching at others. Nostalgia fell over him, the pain of the memories sometimes happy and sometimes sad sweeping him up. He never knew what an experience sorting through old pictures could be, considering this was probably the first time he had taken the time to do it.

That night, when Blaine called him over Skype, Kurt showed off his new scrapbook. "Do you like it?" he asked enthusiastically as he flipped through the pages, showing off the seven he had completed.

"I love it," Blaine said, a huge smile taking over his face. "It looks great, Kurt! I can't wait to see it when you're all done." He rested his chin in his hand like he always did when he listened to Kurt tell a story or show him something.

They smiled at each other. "I can't wait to see you," Kurt said finally.

"Soon," Blaine said. "Not too much longer until Christmas. We can do this."

"I know we can."

When Kurt returned home from New York after Christmas break, he brought a plethora of new pictures for his scrapbook with him. Laying on his bed and resting after the flight, he flipped through the pictures he had taken throughout break, smiling and feeling a little warmer seeing the fresh memories that would be captured forever.

When he woke up the next morning, he got to work right away on incorporating the new pictures to the next pages of the scrapbook. It had grown significantly since the first time he had shown Blaine, the colorful pages filled with all of his greatest recollections with his friends from home.

There were pictures of him and the New Directions' members at the Christmas party that was held at his and Finn's house; Brittany kissing Santana on the cheek under the mistletoe, Blaine gasping as he had opened his present from Finn, Sugar sitting on Artie's lap with a shy smile, an unfocused shot of Tina and Mike laughing…the imperfection of the pictures made the memories of the night more real.

There were also pictures from the New Year's party at Rachel's house with similar styled pictures he had snapped throughout the night, as well as one that Mercedes had snapped of him and Blaine kissing at midnight.

And then there were the ones of him and Blaine when it was just the two of them. One of them cuddling on his bed, Blaine leaning in, eyes shut, and kissing Kurt's cheek. One of them outside throwing snowballs at each other, Blaine wearing that big dopey grin he dons when he laughs hard enough that Kurt secretly loved. One of them with Carole and Burt that Finn had taken. And dozens of others.

That night he showed Blaine, who, once again, praised Kurt's work. "You could be a professional by this point," he teased.

"I know," Kurt said smirking. "It's a gift, really."

*

Kurt wasn't going to be able to go back to Lima for Spring Break.

"I'm sorry, buddy, I just can't afford it. The shop has been really slow lately, and we need to save as much money as possible. Carole and I are trying really hard to save to fly out there and maybe see you before the end of the year…"

Burt broke the news to Kurt over the phone, apologizing dozens of times. Kurt tried his best to hide the hurt, the disappointment, the frustration, the tears. "It's okay, Dad, really. It will be okay."

They hung up and Kurt flung himself on his bed, letting the tears fall and dampen his pillow. He had a faint headache and his throat was raspy, but he knew he needed to let Blaine know right away. He dialed his number and broke the news, and they both comforted each other long into the night.

It was the first day of spring, and the snow had already melted in the city. Kurt was officially on Spring Break, and he decided to take a walk through Central Park to cheer himself up. The birds were chirping, the river starting to flow a little more, and children already playing on the playground at the entrance. It was the perfect day, a Friday, and it was enough to lift Kurt's spirits despite his disappointment at not being at the airport to venture back to Lima with Rachel. He never thought he would miss going back to the town, yet here he was.

He headed back to his dorm after a couple hours later, exhausted and ready for a relaxing night in; he might even see if Blaine wanted to Skype.

He got up to his room and unlocked the door, giving a large sigh as he pushed the door open.

His jaw dropped when he heard a tiny click and saw Blaine sitting cross-legged on his bed.

His throat clenched immediately. "Wha—how are you…Blaine…" Tears filled his eyes, words unable to come as Blaine got up and speedily walked across the room, catching Kurt in his arms and wrapping his own arms around his waist tight and securely.

"Blaine, how are you—how are you here?" Kurt got out as Blaine sprinkled kisses across his ear, his jaw, his hairline. Kurt took Blaine's face in his hands and looked into the shining hazel eyes that he had missed so much.

"My parents bought me a ticket. Early graduation present," he said with a coy smile.

They closed their lips against each other's, holding each other tight and nuzzling their noses together.

"Hmm," Kurt sighed contentedly. "I love you," he said, tightening his arms around Blaine's neck.

"I love you too," Blaine whispered back.

They finally pulled apart and had calmed down a little more. They caught up with each other for a few minutes and got reacquainted with each other's touch which they had missed so much.

Finally, snuggling on Kurt's bed, he picked up the camera Blaine had used when he arrived. He looked at the most recent, the one of his face when he walked in and saw Blaine. His jaw was dropped, his eyes open wide.

"Oh my God, delete that!" Kurt squealed.

"No!" Blaine cried, grabbing the camera out of Kurt's hands quickly. "It's for your scrapbook! You need to put this in there," he urged gently.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Blaine smiled and held the camera out, snapping a picture of them as they were. "And you need this one too," he said.

Kurt smiled at him. "Okay. And just think, we have a whole week of memories to make and pictures to take."

Blaine smiled, gave him another kiss, and murmured against his lips: "I can't wait."


End file.
